NHTSA Complaint #10759641 — 2005 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2005 VW TOUAREG WHICH RECENTLY HAD THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COME ON AND STAY ON. I TOOK THE TOUAREG TO A VOLKSWAGEN DEALER WHERE I WAS CHARGED $104.48 FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST PROVIDED THE STORED FAULT CODE OF 01218, FRONT SIDE PASSENGER AIRBAG IGNITOR UPPER LIMIT EXCEEDED, THUS RECOMMENDING REPLACEMENT OF THE AIRBAG WIRING HARNESS FOR $320.00 ESTIMATE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS A KNOWN MANUFACTURERS DEFECT THAT VW ADDRESSED WITH THE NHTSA BY A TOUAREG SERVICE PACK/CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN IN LATE DECEMBER 2006 WHERE VVV REPLACED THE SUBJECT DEFECTIVE HARNESSES AT NO EXPENSE TO TOUAREG OWNERS. THE VW ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT ACCORDING TO THE VEHICLE RECORDS THIS REPLACEMENT WAS NOT PERFORMED ON MY TOUAREG. PLEASE ADVISE WHY THIS DEFECTIVE AIRBAG WIRING HARNESS WAS NOT REPLACED DURING THIS CAMPAIGN. BASED UPON MY CONCERN AS A SAFETY AND HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, AND MY REVIEW OF THE INFORMATION AND FILES AVAILABLE FROM NHTSA CONCERNING THE PREVIOUS INVESTIGATION OF THIS PROBLEM IN 2006, I BELIEVE THAT VWS FAILURE TO CONTINUE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY NHTSA FOR CONSIDERATION OF REOPENING OF THIS INVESTIGATION. AS STATED IN THE ODI RESUME FOR INVESTIGATION: PE 06-022, SUBJECT: SRS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION, .THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. I EXPECT NHTSA WILL REQUEST DATA FROM VW ON HOW MANY VW TOUAREGS HAVE REPORTED, OR BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH THIS PROBLEM SINCE 2006, AND HOW MANY OWNERS HAVE PAID VW OR OTHER REPAIR FACILITIES TO REPLACE THESE AIR BAG WIRING HARNESSES AND RELATED EQUIPMENT. THE TOUAREG SERVICE PACK/CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN IN LATE DECEMBER 2006 WHERE VVV REPLACED THE SUBJECT DEFECTIVE HARNESSES AT NO EXPENSE TO TOUAREG OWNERS WAS AN ACTION TAKEN AT THAT TIME TO AVOID A RECALL. RECONSIDER!